Chronic Neck Pain

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What You Need to Know

Many people have experienced slight pain and stiffness in the neck. Most neck pain is not severe and dissipates over time. Other times, it increases in severity and becomes chronic. There are many causes of neck pain, so early evaluation by a pain physician is essential. The sooner we are able to make an accurate diagnosis and develop a custom treatment plan, the sooner we can start working to relieve your pain.

Causes

Chronic neck pain can be caused and aggravated by musculoskeletal issues, poor posture, and cigarette smoking. It can also be caused by conditions, such as degenerative disc disease, disc herniation, cervical facet syndrome and spinal stenosis.

Symptoms

Decreased quality of life.

Limited functioning.

Numbness and tingling in the arms and hands.

Severe pain in the neck.

When it comes to treating neck pain, diagnosis is key. Electromyogram (EMG) testing, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-rays can be used to diagnose the pathology. Epidural, facet, and trigger point injections can all be used diagnostically and therapeutically.